


Bury me shallow, I'll be back

by Xelipoops_English (Xelipoops)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Resurrection, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26145850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xelipoops/pseuds/Xelipoops_English
Summary: How many dead bodies can a flower hide?Lots, it seems.(a.k.a. when the war took far too many lives, and someone figured how to bring them back.)
Relationships: Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. The first one to return

Allura and Shiro had been walking around for a while.  
When she had offered to take him to see the royal gardens, she had been planning to distract him a little of all his knight duties. What she didn't plan, however, was him getting so interested in every. Damn. Plant.  
"What's this one called?"  
"Juniberries."  
"What are they useful for?"  
"Making tea, and being pretty."  
Luckily Shiro was too distracted to take notice of her slightly sarcastic tone. If she was being honest, it was relaxing to forget about all the kingdom's problems for a while; even if it meant giving an impromptu botanic class.  
"This one is pretty."  
Allura looked at the plant Shiro was pointing to, and suddenly her interest in describing the garden's inhabitants came back.  
"That, my friend, is a mystery. Roses are not supposed to grow from a single sprout, but here it is. Isn't it peculiar? The garden is packed with them. Not a single one of my gardeners have figured them out. They never produce seeds, nor do them wither. The flowers bloomed once years ago, and they’re still there. The others are violet or blue, but this is the only one coloured purple."  
Shiro smiled. He was having way too much fun with this.  
"I knew it was special. It smells nice."  
"Oh?" Allura asked. Alteans were not very good at discerning smells. Humans, on the other hand... "What does it smell like?"  
"Magic."  
Allura stopped in her tracks. Shiro followed suit, and looked at her, waiting for an explanation.  
"Magic." Allura whispered. "I have checked every single one of my father's botanic books, and never found a trace of these flowers. But magic..."  
She turned around and took off at max speed. Shiro yelped and trailed after her.  
"I never looked into his magic books!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, excitement running through her veins. "Come on, we have to find them!"  
She stormed into the castle, startling a few servants. It's not everyday that you see the princess of the Altean kingdom running around. Very often, yes, but not everyday.  
People seemed to sense her restless energy, and they left a path for her to run free. Or maybe they just didn't want to be stomped on.  
On their way, they almost ran over Coran, who was calmly reading some papers while walking.  
"Whoa, princess, what are you doing running around like that? You know it's not appropriate-"  
"Sorry, Coran." She cut him off. "Have you seen Pidge? We need to ask her something."  
Coran tugged at his moustache, as he always did when he was thinking.  
"I believe the little gremlin has holed herself in the library again." He said, with half a smile on his face. "Quite a dedicated librarian, isn't she?"  
"Perfect!" Allura said, and ran off again, Shiro hot in her heels. She could hear Coran shouting something at them, but she paid him no mind.  
"Pidge!" She yelled, throwing open the library doors.  
The girl made herself known by dropping from above, planting herself in front of them with a stern look.  
"You'd better have a good reason to come barging into my sacred library, shouting and disturbing the readers."  
Allura rolled her eyes. "Pidge, you're always the only one here. Anyway, we need your help. We're looking for father's magic books."  
Pidge looked her up and down. "Allura, I know you just got permission to use advanced magic, but isn't it a bit too soon to be messing around with your father's manuscripts? He was the most powerful magician ever known after all."  
Allura bit her lip, a bit self-conscious. "I will not try to perform magic. Shiro and I are looking for knowledge."  
Pidge looked at them once more, and then shrugged.  
"Alright then. Let's get to it. That old man had tons of books."  
Allura followed her avidly, and soon enough they found themselves in the nicest part of the library. There was a big glass wall, and the books on the shelves were all worn-out and mismatched. These were archives that Alfor himself had written.  
They set to work. Allura told Pidge what they were looking for, and each of them picked a book at random and began searching.  
It was by no means an easy task, and they spent hours looking at messy handwriting and decent-but-not-quite-good drawings. Allura sincerely admired her father's dedication to his research, but he could have at least have gotten someone to write his ideas down in a more legible calligraphy.  
"Hey guys, I think I found something."  
Allura left the book she was struggling with, and went over to Shiro. He was checking a small red notebook, with a very dirty cover. Allura recognised this one: it was the last notebook her father had owned before dying.  
Shiro had it open in a page full of even-messier scribbles, and in a corner, there was a drawing of a rose sprouting directly from the ground.  
"It must be this one." He said. "But I really can't make out anything from the text."  
Allura took the book from him, and examined the pages closely. It was indeed hard to read, as if it was written in a hurry; but she could make out some enchantments in old Altean and a couple of side notes.  
"It is a spell, indeed." She said, and she felt victorious. That mysterious roses would finally reveal their secrets! "It says something among the lines 'to preserve what is already lost' and 'the way to call upon what was once gone'. This is nonsense. It's amazing! We should try it out!"  
Pidge looked at her pointedly. "Didn't you say you weren't going to actually perform the magic? Besides," she took the notebook and turned the page over. "it looks like it's the last spell Alfor created." She turned the page around and sure, the next one was blank. "It must be pretty difficult stuff."  
"Not really." Allura grabbed the book back. "The actual magic was done when the spell was created. It only needs a small boost to complete it."  
Pidge and Shiro shared a look. It was one of those 'how-do-we-get-the-princess-to-calm-down' kind of looks. Allura swallowed her pride and pressed on.  
"Please. I need to know what this is for. If it's the last spell my father ever created, it must be something important."  
She looked at them with her best pleading eyes, and marked down a silent victory when her friends sighed.  
"Okay." Shiro said. "But if it's too much, you'll stop and do it once you've trained enough."  
"Yes!" Allura shouted, and then yelped when Pidge swatted her in the head.  
"Silence, princess, this still is the library."  
Allura scoffed, and got up to leave, the book securely tucked under her arm.  
She didn't want to run, so that she wouldn't risk damaging the notebook, but she walked at a brisk pace, with her friends at her side.  
It was almost dusk when they stepped out in the gardens, but she didn't mind. She set course to the purple flower's location with a spring in her steps.  
When they arrived, she set the book down and kneeled in front of the rose. Shiro and Pidge stayed behind her, looking curiously. Allura closed her eyes and concentrated.  
As she grazed the magic enveloping the world around her, she gasped in amazement. The flower in front of her was so full of powerful magic, it shined brightly in her mind's eye. It was an old spell, she could tell, but it still stood strong. She wondered what would make it fail, if something could; but she shook those thoughts off. She was here to complete the spell, not destroy it.  
She muttered a few words that had been written in the notebook, and observed the magic fluctuate. She willed it to finish what it had once started, and the flower responded.  
When she opened her eyes, the plant was glowing intensely, and the ground around it was cracking. She quickly backed off, and watched as the progress went on.  
To say that she was surprised was an understatement.  
There, from the very earth where a flower had calmly sat for more than a decade, rose a boy. He was covered head to toe in dirt, as was expected from something that was recently underground. He sat up and coughed violently, and then promptly fell back down. Shiro was there in a moment’s notice, supporting him and rubbing circles in his back.  
Once the worst of his coughs had passed, he fell limply in Shiro's arms; and were it not for his chest going rapidly up and down, Allura would have thought he was dead.  
"We must get him inside." She said, full princess tone. Pidge immediately set off to look for assistance, as Shiro wrapped his arms around the unconscious boy and lifted him up.  
"Allura," He asked. "Who is he?"  
"I'm... not sure. He does look familiar, but I don't remember..."  
Shiro nodded gravely and started walking towards the castle. Allura, behind them, kept observing the boy.  
Dark hair, and pale skin, with a peculiar purplish tint.  
Familiar indeed.


	2. Under the moonlight

Lance woke up to a soft knock on his window. He stirred, trying to will the sleepiness away. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, after all. And he would never hear the end of it if Keith found him snoring before their date.  
He abandoned his (oh so comfy!) bed, and went over to the window. Out there, not looking bothered at all by the cold night air, was the eye candy that was Keith.  
Seriously, has anyone ever seen this guy? He should be arrested for being so pretty. With those little black bangs that swayed back and forth in the wind, and those purplish hands, and the smirk that grew bigger and bigger as Lance opened the window…  
Uh oh.

“Did you fall asleep?” Keith’s tone was teasing, amused. He was throwing a bait. And Lance took it, obviously.

“Of course not! What kind of prince would I be if I couldn’t even stay awake all night long?” 

Next time he looked; Keith’s eyes had softened a bit. He was looking at him with something akin to pity, which Lance wanted to call out, but the fondness that seeped through stopped him. It was only Keith caring for him, after all.

“I know you’ve been stressed lately.” He said softly. “I just… I had never seen you with a bedhead before.”

Lance gasped exaggeratedly and covered his hair with his hands, trying to smooth it out. “You little-!”  
He was cut out when Keith grabbed his hands and guided them apart from his hair.  
“Don’t.” He said. “I like it this way.”

Lance stopped; surprise painted bright in his features. Who knew Mr. Angry and McBroody had a soft side?  
Well, he did. That thought brought a smile to him.

Keith didn’t seem to be following his train of thought, so he asked out loud: “What’s the smile for?”

Lance laughed. As fast as he could, he ruffled Keith’s hair mercilessly.

“Now we both have bedheads.”

Keith pouted, but didn’t complain. Instead, he went to Lance’s wardrobe and started shuffling through it. He pulled out a big cloak; came back to Lance and put it over his shoulders.

“It’s freezing outside.” He explained.

Lance pulled at the hem of the cape, and glared at Keith.

“You don’t seem to be cold.”

“Galra genes.” He smirked, shaking his hands in front of him.

“That’s so not fair. You get both Human and Galra, and I’m stuck with Altean?”

“Hey,” Keith nudged him. “Alteans are cool too. You guys can do magic.”

“Not me.”

“Not important.” Keith grabbed his hand. “You can do interesting stuff on your own.”

Lance raised an eyebrow. “Like?”

“You’re an awesome sharpshooter."

“I know.”

“You’re a great prince.”

“I must be.”

“You’re the best boyfriend.”

Lance was left without a comeback. He just gaped at Keith, who smiled at him and turned around to head to the door, tugging him along by their linked hands.

“Keith…”

“Shush.” He said. “Stealth mode.”

Lance nodded silently and slipped through the door with him.

There was a game they played on their night dates: Escape the castle unnoticed. It wasn’t easy, as it was always filled with people going around, doing errands. Still, they managed to have lots of fun.  
They were supposed to lose points if they got caught, but none of them kept count. 

That’s why they slid through the long corridors, hiding before pillars everytime someone passed by. 

This night, however, luck was not on their side. As soon as they passed the door of the other royal chamber, it flung open.  
Lance resisted the urge to scream, but he was close. Damn family insisting on giving him heart attacks.

“Allura.” He whispered. “We’re in the middle of something here. Why don’t you go back to sleep?”  
Allura, with her five years of pure pent up energy, wanted to hear nothing of it.

“Where are you going?”

“Outside.”

“Can I go with you?”

Lance shared a look with Keith. He looked as if he had been asked to feed a dragon with his bare hands.

“Allura, sweetie, Keith and I wanted to go on our own.”

She seemed to take notice of Keith standing behind him, and she pulled a face.

“You’re going to do gross stuff!”

“Allura!”

“You’ll hug and kiss like mom and dad! I don’t want to go anymore!

She closed the door abruptly, almost cutting off his nose.

“Well…” He heard Keith say. “That’s one way to put it.”

Now it was Lance who looked scandalized.

“Keith!”

Keith snorted. Lance wanted to stay mad, but that damn laugh was charming.

“I’m just messing with you. Wanna get going?

Lance took the hand that Keith offered, and they took off on their little adventure again.  
They managed to avoid all the guards and servants, and they came dangerously close to being caught by Coran, but they were saved by Keith’s quick thinking and a conveniently placed closet.

At the end, they managed to get to the gardens undetected.

“Alone at last.” Lance said, stretching his arms over his head. Keith shrugged, and began walking down one of the garden’s paths. Lance followed suit.

They walked in silence for a couple of minutes. Weird, if they counted that Lance was there, but he just didn’t feel like chit-chatting.

“What’s going on?”

“What?”

“You’re being quiet.”

“Really?”

Keith scoffed. “You’re never quiet.”

“mhm.”

Keith didn’t say anything else, so Lance thought it was the end of it. But no. Keith had begun to stare at him intently. It didn’t take long for Lance to give up.

“I’m just worried.” Lance said. “You know, the war, and stuff.” He embraced himself under the cloak. “It’s just so weird. There weren’t any demands, nor warnings. Zarkon just came barging down and started attacking everyone. It was not like him.”

Keith circled his arms around his waist. Lance kept going.

“I knew the guy. He has been here a million times. He was like an uncle to me. And then he goes, gets married, disappears for a few years and comes back angry and full of bloodlust. If at least we knew what he wants, we could make a treaty, or something. This war makes no sense.”

Keith stopped and hugged Lance completely. Lance let it happen, and fought against the moist gathering in his eyes.

“He must have gone crazy.” Keith said. “But I’m sure your dad will figure this out.”

“People are dying, Keith.” Lance said, muffled due to him having buried his face in Keith’s clothes. “Alteans and Galra equally. I don’t want anyone else to die.”

Keith pulled away, and shot him a soft smile.

“There is the Lance I love.”

Keith cleaned some of the teartracks in his face, and kissed him in the forehead.

“It’ll be alright.” He said. “We’ll figure it out together.”

Lance nodded weakly. Keith must have seen his exhaustion showing, because he pulled him towards the castle.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

They walked silently through the gardens. This time, it felt right. Lance wasn’t in the mood to talk, but being with Keith helped. He was just that awesome. 

“Hey Keith?”

“Yeah?”

“I love y-

Lance was cut off by a scream nearby.

In a second, the peaceful atmosphere that had surrounded them both vanished. They ran into cover, and Keith peeked over the corner. He swore colourfully.

“What is it?!”

“Galra. They’re here, in the gardens. The archers are keeping them busy, but you must get to safety.”

“No.”

“Lance-”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Lance.” Keith looked directly into his eyes. A fire burned bright inside him, making him look dangerous. “I’m a knight. It’s my job. You’re the prince, and an archer. You have to get to safety first, and then high grounds.”

“Keith-”

“Lance. I love you with all my heart, but you’re so damn stubborn.” Keith hissed when the screams came closer. “Go. NOW.”

Keith leaped over the pot they were hiding behind, and launched into battle. Lance was helpless, looking as he tore into enemy lines, slicing Galra soldiers right and left.

Lance called himself to the earth and ran off. Keith was right, he had to get into the castle. He needed to get his bow. He needed to warn everyone. He needed to get help for Keith.

He ran until his legs burned, and screamed with a raw throat. He ran up multiple stairs, he gave directions to every guard he saw. And he went up. Up. Up.

He finally reached one of the vigilance towers. He grabbed a bow from the wall, took position on the window, and started shooting. 

Out there it was a mess. The Galra had the advantage in the darkness, but the Alteans knew that and casted giant light orbs. Soldiers of every band were fighting for their lives, and many were falling down. Enemies and friends alike.

Lance shook those thoughts off. It was them or the others. One had to die so that the other could keep living.  
And Keith was down there. Lance had no doubt when he shot arrow after arrow.  
Tonight, he would kill people so that Keith could keep living.

Eventually, the battle sounds grew fainter. The last shriek crossed the gelid air, and everything returned to the natural silence.  
Only this silence wasn’t natural at all. It was as if everyone was holding their breaths. Expecting something else. Something worse.

Lance was one of them. He felt the air running thin, but he paid it no mind.  
He launched himself down the stairs.

He ignored the other archers’ shouting. He ignored the castle’s corridors, uncharacteristically empty. He ignored the hastily open doors, and the blood tainted earth. He had only one thing in his mind.

Keith.

He kept running. He run over dead people. He passed alive people that looked like ghosts. He didn’t have time for them. He had to find Keith.

Slowly, he started hearing noises again. Quiet murmurs. Small whimpers. Whispered prayers.  
It would have broken his heart, were it not that his heart was on the brink of shattering completely. He couldn’t see him. He couldn’t see him, he couldn’t…  
He heard. He heard him. He was sure.

He ran towards that little sound that had come from a mouth he knew so well. He could have recognised anywhere. He ran, and he turned, and he…  
And he found him.

Keith was there. He was sitting against a tree, panting heavily. His hair was all over his face, stuck with sweat, and he looked as if he were haunted.  
And from his chest, a knife protruded grotesquely.

Lance couldn’t breathe. All the air he had used while running around refused to come back to him. Because there was Keith, alive and breathing, but not for much longer.  
He couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t call for help. Not in time. He couldn’t help him.  
He could only walk towards him, and fall on his knees at his side.

Keith came out of his haze, and looked at him through half-lidded eyes. He even smiled.  
How dare he smile, when Lance was crying with all his might. How could he pull that soft expression for him, when Lance’s heart was already full of broken pieces and hard edges.

Keith reached to touch him, and it took what was left of his energy.  
Lance met him halfway, and cradled his hand in his soaked face.

He looked at him, and his eyes went still.  
Lance returned the glance, with eyes that would never shine the same. 

“Lance” he said, and it cost him his breath.  
And it almost took Lance’s too.  
Because here was Keith. He had found him. But now he was gone.

\------

Lance couldn’t remember how long he sat there, staring at what was once the most beautiful face he had ever seen. It was now no more than an empty shell. He had long ago shed all his tears, and exhaustion pulled heavily at all his limbs. But he refused to get up. He refused to let go of the hand he still held to his face. A hand that grew colder by the minute.

“Prince.” He heard. He ignored it.

“Prince Lance.” This time, a hand rested on his shoulder. “We have to take him away.”

They wanted to take Keith away. Lance wouldn’t let them.

“Leave me alone.” He said. When had his voice become so venomous? 

“Prince, please-”

“Don’t move him!”

The scream rattled Lance, and he finally looked up. There was a soldier, her hand still on his shoulder. And down the path, there was King Alfor. 

“Do not move any of the corpses!”

“But your Majesty, the ceremonies-”

“Spread my orders! Take care of the injured, but don’t move anyone from where they died!”

“Yes Sir.”

The soldier left, and Alfor came to Lance’s side. He looked heartbroken too, but it was nowhere as near as how Lance felt.

“Son.” He said, and a wave of calmness rushed over Lance. He felt like he would pass out. But he refused. He gripped Keith’s hand harder. 

“Lance, please, I must do something.”

Lance shook his head. He couldn’t say a thing.

“Son listen to me. I can bring him back.”

Those words passed through Lance without him understanding. Bring him back? It was impossible.

“I have been working on a new spell. It will conserve him, and it will bring him back once the war is over. It’ll be a chance for all those who gave their lives too soon.” 

Lance couldn’t think straight. If it was true, then maybe not all was lost. If the spell really worked, then Keith…  
Keith would come back to him.

He felt his father helping him get up, and he let him. He watched as in a trace, how he kneeled before Keith, how he took something out of his bag, and he put it in Keith’s mouth. He heard the enchantment, and he saw the magic glowing.  
He closed his eyes against the bright light; and when he opened them again, there was a flower where Keith had been. A purple rose.

“Come on, my child. We must get to all the deceased.”

He felt his father embracing him, and guiding him though the garden.

And like a zombie, he followed suit.


	3. The solution

_“What are you doing here?”_

_Alfor’s hair stood on end. He couldn’t see a thing, but somehow he knew Zarkon was there with him._

_“You know what it is that I seek.”_

_Alfor turned around. Zarkon’s voice seemed to come from everywhere at once._

_“The spell. Give it to me.”_

_“No! It is not meant to be used in vain!”_

_“Ah, but yet you use it time after time.”_

_Alfor shook his head. “It’s not the same! Those people died too soon, and it was your fault.”_

_“Was it, really?” Zarkon’s voice held no tone, and yet he sounded mocking. “Was it me that refused to share the knowledge for eternal life? Was it me who caused this war?”_

_“You started it.”_

_“You’re wrong.”_

_Zarkon was directly behind him._

_“You caused this war, Alfor. It is all your fault.”_

_“You will pay for this, Alfor.”_

_“You will die, Alfor.”_

_“Alfor-”_

“Alfor!”

Alfor woke up with a start and lifted his face from where it was pressed to the table. He rubbed his eyes, and winced when he saw the giant smear he had caused in his netbook. Well, he would have to continue later. No use in writing while the ink was still fresh.

He lifted it and frowned at the notes. The rose drawing he had put so much effort into was still intact, and he had yet to write down how to recreate the spell; but maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. After all, it was not meant to be used ever again.

But he hated having knowledge and keeping it to himself. That was the purpose of all the books he had written. To share everything with everyone.

“Alfor, dear, what are you so angry with?”

Alfor turned around. Behind him, his wife stood patiently, observing his antics.

“If that stain upsets you, I can get someone to clean it off the paper…”

“Melenor, no, this is not- …It’s not the paper, though it would be good to get rid of this page entirely. I just… had a dream.”

Melenor sat down next to him, and put a hand between his shoulders.

“Zarkon again?”

“Exactly.” Alfor was tired, Melenor must have seen it, because she got up and urged him to do the same.

“Alright dear, break time. Go fetch something from the kitchens, and if you’re still tired, try to take a nap. And don’t forget to pack up what you want to take with you this afternoon.”

Alfor instinctively grabbed the purse he was wearing. He hadn’t taken it off since he came up with its contents. He didn’t dare to.

“I’ll be alright, honey. See you tonight.”

Melenor smiled and left, and Alfor did the same afterwards. He headed over the kitchen; partly because he was hungry, and partly because he had a good chance of finding Lance there.

Gods knew that boy needed a hug these days.

As he approached, he thought that it was a blessing that the kitchen was always in a slight state of chaos. The castle had been far too quiet lately.

Inside, cooks and helpers went around, carrying food, pans, pots and utensils. Alfor figured they must be really busy making the provisions needed for their journey.

He spotted his son’s friend, Hunk, and headed towards him. Sure enough, Lance was there, sitting out of the way, surely just seeking company; which Hunk happily provided.

“Good afternoon, your majesty.” Hunk smiled broadly to him. Alfor returned a small smile of his own. Lance had heard him, and now was looking in Alfor’s general direction. Alfor took it as a good acknowledgement and went over to hug him. He didn’t encounter any resistance.

Hunk watched them over the concoction he was making. When they didn’t break the hug for what Alfor assumed was the normal span of time people hugged for; Hunk cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Were you looking for something, your majesty?”

Alfor pulled apart from his son, but remained with an arm around his shoulders.

“I was looking for my boy, actually, but a snack wouldn’t be a bad idea. I might have skipped lunch with that little nap of mine.”

Hunk sent him the look of a disappointed cook over an irresponsible diner, and Alfor smiled sheepishly. It was sort of a crime to miss one of Hunk’s meals.

“You’re lucky your leftovers are still around here. I was going to use them for something else, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t fight against empty stomachs.”

Hunk brought him a plate with a slice of pie, and Alfor thanked him. He manoeuvred around Lance so that he was facing the counter, and sat down to eat.

He devoured his meal in under a minute. He must have been really hungry.

“Well,” he announced merrily. “that’s as far as I’ll bother you guys. I’ll get going now.”

Hunk smiled and waved, and Lance nodded weakly. Alfor kissed his son on the forehead and abandoned the kitchens, mulling over his options.

Option 1: Going to his chambers to organize his baggage.

Option 2: Wander around until Melenor found him and dragged him to pack his stuff.

He sighed and opted to face the devil on his own terms. He should do it sooner than later, after all.

On his way up, he gained a mild weight on one of his feet. He checked, and sure, Allura was perched firmly on his leg.

“Daaaaaaaaaaad!” She shouted excitedly. “Come play with me!”

Alfor chuckled. This girl was far too spirited for his old bones.

“Maybe later, pumpkin, I have to pack now or your mother will have my hide.”

Allura pouted. “Can I come with you?”

“Sure. Come up here.”

Allura expertly climbed up his back, and perched herself on his shoulders. Alfor thought that she was getting bigger, and soon he wouldn’t be able to carry her around as much. A good reason to give her a piggyback ride now.

“What do you need to pack for?”

“We talked about this over breakfast, dear. Your brother and I are going on a trip.”

“Where to?”

“The south. Don’t you worry pumpkin, you’ll join us next week.”

“And why do you have to go first?”

“I’m taking the younger ones to help conditionate the old summer mansion. You remember that big old house?”

Allura squinted, as if she could see it all the way from here. Impossible task, but he let her have her fun.

“The one next to the sea?”

“Exactly.”

“It is scary. And small.”

Alfor laughed. “I suppose it would look small after living in the castle; but it will be able to hold us all.”

“Are we leaving the castle forever?”

“…”

“I don’t know, pumpkin. It’s complicated.”

Allura remained silent while Alfor rummaged around in his room. When he finally finished making a makeshift traveling bag, Allura spoke up again.

“Dad? Will you come back?”

Alfor lifted Allura off his shoulders and sat her in his bed. He kneeled in front of her, and he could now see the tears in her eyes.

His heart broke a bit.

“Of course, pumpkin. I’ll be here next week to take you and mom to the mansion.”

Allura nodded, and Alfor hugged her. He silently cursed this war for making both of his children suffer so much.

“While I’m gone, do all your homework and make sure Coran stays out of trouble, alright?”

“Okay.”

Alfor smiled and lifted Allura up again. He could afford to pamper her a bit today.

____ ---. --- --- -.. .-.. ..- -.-. -.- .- .-.. ..-. --- .-. ____

“People of Altea.” Alfor began his speech. Before him were all the inhabitants of the castle: Half of them prepared to go to sleep and the other half ready to travel. “In these awful times, we’ve decided that it’s best to run away from the conflict. I have no interest in indulging a useless war, nor in letting my people die for nothing. The recent attack in the castle has made me see that we’re not safe here. And I’ve decided that we shall move south, to the royal vacation home. If we’re lucky, we’ll leave the war behind us.”

There was a murmur from the crowd, and it sounded approving, so Alfor took it as his cue to continue.

“Today, I depart with the young to prepare said mansion to house us all. Next week, I’ll be back to accompany the rest of you.”

Again, the murmurs. Alfor was glad they didn’t cheer, because the children were already sleeping. He turned around and faced his wife, who opened her arms and embraced him.

“I’ll be alright, dear. It was the right decision to make.”

“I hope so.”

He grabbed his backpack, and perched it on his shoulder, along the always present seed purse. He walked up to the front door, and stepped out into the night air.

Go on foot, they said. It’ll be wiser, they said. Alfor almost hated all his advisors right now. Walking long distances was a pain in the unmentionables. Walking said great length with a backpack and three hundred whiny teenagers and young adults was unbearable.

“Man, this sure is far. How much do we have to walk again?”

Alfor counted to three and resisted the urge to kick his people. It was no good for a king to lose his cool.

“As I have already said, we’ll be walking all night, and then half of tomorrow.”

The kid whined behind him. Alfor debated between wasting his breath lecturing him, or doing something cleverer.

“Why don’t we take a break? Tell everyone to sit down, I’ll go survey the path ahead.”

He saw Lance, who was walking beside him, drop unceremoniously onto the floor; and he felt a little guilty. Maybe he had been pushing these kids too far.

He patted Lance shoulder, and murmured:

“Rest. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Alfor left his backpack on the floor, and started walking ahead. He found relief in the weight no longer sitting on his shoulders, and was able to reach the next turn in their path in no time.

They were walking on the bottom of a canyon, and the tall walls echoed every sound. Now that the others had stopped walking, Alfor found himself surrounded by his own footsteps. It unnerved him, so he stopped.

But the footsteps continued.

He knew for sure that the kids were making the most of their break, and they couldn’t be his own footsteps anymore.

It was someone else.

He turned around and ran. When had he gone so far? The corner seemed to be ages away. He couldn’t run fast enough, he couldn’t reach them, couldn’t warn them…

He heard the screams. They echoed in the canyon walls, surrounding him. He panicked and tripped. His hands hit the rough floor and scraped badly enough to draw blood. Alfor ignored them and got up again. He was so close-

He was cut off. In front of him was a galra soldier, charging towards him. He dodged him, but another one was right behind. Alfor quickly cast a spell that sent them both flying.

But there was another. And another. And another.

Every second he came closer to his people, but the galra were persistent. They fought viciously, and it was only Alfor’s age and experience that saved him multiple times.

As he fought off yet another soldier, he noticed that they weren’t fighting against him specifically. They passed beside him, running off into the night.

They were retreating.

Alfor got rid of the one he was fighting against, and hid behind a boulder. Soon enough, all the troops had passed, and he was all alone. He could hear it.

Silence.

He got up and ran again. The curve was here, right in front of him, he was so close-

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw back there.

It was a graveyard.

The garla had attacked swift and mercilessly. There were some of them lying here and there, but almost all of the corpses were his people. Humans and Alteans. The youngest of them.

Alfor collapsed and threw up on the spot. He couldn’t bear to look at them, to see those kids, his kids…

He had to. He knew that he had to, but it didn’t make it any easier.

When he collected himself enough to get up, his knees almost gave out again. It was a mess.

The galra hadn’t been clean, and the ground was soaked red with blood. Not a single one of the figures moved; all of them staring emptily into the sky.

Alfor’s feet splashed as he walked among them, not feeling more alive than all the kids he left to die.

He came to a stop when he sighted a familiar face. Lying motionlessly on the red floor was Lance, propped up by another corpse. He resembled almost exactly that first kid who had died days ago.

Alfor couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. This was his fault, he brought them along, he left them on their own, he invented those damned seeds and now Zarkon had killed his children for them.

“Son-” He breathed, and his voice broke. “I’m so very sorry, my child, I’m sorry, I’m…”

Alfor couldn’t make it up to them. Nor to their families, nor to himself. He would carry those souls who were lost by his fault, and he wouldn’t be able to put the weight down until he died. He refused to.

But for now, he could do the best next thing. He could give them another chance.

Carefully, he pulled Lance's crown off his head and set it on the floor. Then he took out a seed from his purse, put it in Lance’s mouth, and murmured his so very secret spell. In under a minute, all that was left of his son was a blue rose, contrasting with all the red that surrounded it.

Alfor didn’t trust himself to speak, so he didn’t. There was no way he could pray enough for all the lives lost that night. Instead, he set to work, and planted a seed in every corpse; galra included.

There were hundreds of them, and by the time he finished, he was beyond exhaustion, and he collapsed as the sun came out of the horizon.

He just wanted to close his eyes and rest among his people, but the universe wouldn’t give him a break.

Again, he heard footsteps. A single pair this time. He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t budge.

“Alfor.” He heard. He could recognize that voice anywhere.

“Honerva.”

Alfor looked up at her. His former co-researcher was looking down on him, as if he were no more than a pile of trash.

“You know what I want.” She said. Alfor almost laughed.

“Why, Honerva. Why end all this lives so that you could make yours last longer. Is it really worth it to you?”

“It is.” Her voice was nothing like the cheerful magician he had known. She sounded cold, and careless. “You have shown me how to use them, with this little display. You are of no use anymore.”

Alfor felt how she took the purse away, and couldn’t find the strength to fight her.

And when the blade impaled him, he didn’t even scream.


	4. Death smells sweet

As soon as Keith regained consciousness, he could tell something was wrong.  
First of all, he felt incredibly stiff. It was as if all his muscles had taken a vacation and decided to leave aching rocks in their places. He could also taste dirt in his mouth, and doing the simplest of actions, like breathing, hurt. A lot.  
He thought about opening his eyes, but it seemed like a bad idea. He was hurting all over, and assaulting his eyes with whatever bright light waited out of his eyelids didn’t sound like the brightest of plans. He would be so very happy to lay there and take another nap…

But what had happened before he went to sleep?

Keith remembered. And the very memory was enough to sit him up abruptly, all pains and needles be damned.

He had died. He had died he had died he fucking died and he came back. He was fucking alive again.

“Whoa, easy there! You’ll hurt yourself-”

It was a voice he didn’t recognize. That was to be expected. He wasn’t sure if he could recognize even Lance’s voice now.

Oh god. Lance. He would kill him for dying on him. He was utterly fucked.

Keith felt a hand on his shoulder, and reluctantly lied down again. He grunted as his head hit a soft pillow and still managed to hurt like a bitch.

“Where am I?”

“Altea’s castle.” The voice answered immediately.

So he was still in the castle. Good thing.

“What happened to me?”

“We are not sure. We believe you have died and have been brought back to life somehow.”

Keith snorted. “Yeah, no kidding. I surely feel like I’ve died.”

“You must be in shock, you should rest-”

“I’m fine.” Keith swatted the hand that hovered over his head. He tried to sit up again, this time with no luck. He pouted and looked at the man sitting alongside him.

“Who are you?”

“The name’s Shiro. I’m the royal knight.”

Keith snorted. “Yeah, no. That’s my job. I can’t have been replaced that quickly.”

Shiro frowned, and Keith suddenly felt worry creeping up his insides.

“I have been the Royal Knight for at least five years now.”

Keith’s throat went dry. He could feel the blood draining his face, as he did the math in his head.

“Have I… Have I been dead for five years?”

“Longer than that, I’m afraid.” A new voice interrupted. Keith searched for the source, only to get shocked all over again.  
Standing on the doorway, there was Allura. It was unmistakably her. But she looked nothing like Keith remembered her. She was no longer shorter than his waist, nor did she have her characteristic smile plastered over her face. She looked to be around his age now, and more serious than Keith had ever seen her.

“Allura…”

She looked pained by his voice. “It’s you, isn’t it? Keith.”

Keith swallowed. “Allura, how long has it been?”

“Nearly fifteen years.”

_____ - …. . -.-- - .- .-.. -.- . -.. ..-. --- .-. …. --- ..- .-. … _______

Shiro had always been an empathic person. He was sensible to other people’s struggles, which only served him better to help them get through it.  
But this was too much. Seeing this boy, younger than he was, being told that all his world had been stripped from him, and given back wrong. That he had been dead for more than a decade. To see his expression go through confusion, to fear; while he was told how he was conserved under a flower’s spell. That half of the people he knew had been killed long ago; and the other half had moved past him already. That they had forgotten him.

The worst part was when Allura finally paused to take a breath. The silence extended for too long, and the boy found the courage to ask a question.

“Where’s Lance?”

Shiro didn’t know who Lance was. But he could hear it in the boy’s voice. He was important to him. Vital, even.  
When Allura didn’t answer, he assumed the worst. And he knew the boy did too.

He could only watch, helpless, as Keith crumbled to pieces, broken and lost. He put a hand on his shoulders, but it did so little to comfort him. He could tell he was too deep in his sorrow to feel anything.  
But he stayed there. It was the least he could do. Allura stayed with them too. They let Keith cry his soul out, and they stayed there, like ghosts; not quite knowing what to do.

Shiro decided that no more kids should suffer like this one. He wouldn’t allow it.

“Allura.” He whispered. “Let me take him out on a ride. It will do him good to breathe fresh air.”

Allura didn’t seem to like the plan, but as she was about to point out why exactly it was a bad idea, Keith interrupted her.

“Please. I’d like to go out.”

Allura’s hard resolve vanished, and she nodded. Shiro smiled gratefully, and went to look for something appropriate for Keith to wear. When he came back, Allura had already left.

“Hey.” He said, as he deposited the clothes on the bed. “You okay there?”

The empty look Keith shot him was enough of an answer.

“I guessed not. Here, put these on and we’re ready to go.”

Shiro turned around respectfully while Keith changed, and smiled softly when Keith took off without waiting for him.

“I guess you already know where the stables are.”

“Yeah.”

“Great. Lead the way.”

Keith seemed to be perfectly at ease in the castle hallways. He took turns without a second though, and Shiro could tell that seeing such a familiar space was calming him down a bit. They reached the stables in no time, and soon enough they were galloping away from the castle and into the forests.  
It was peaceful out here. Shiro checked: 1) No disturbing scenarios, 2) No faces from the past changed beyond recognition. Good enough.

After a while, their horses started walking more calmly, and Keith spoke up.

“Thank you.”

Shiro was taken off guard, but he didn’t let it show.

“You seemed stressed back there. I thought out here it would be better to deal with everything.”

“Yeah, it is. Shiro, right? Thanks.”

“No problem.”

They went around in old paths; Keith surely deep in thought, and Shiro simply content to let him be. He predicted it would take him a while to come to terms with all the information he had been given; and he mulled over what was the best way to convince him to head back once the sun began to set.  
What he didn’t expect, however, was Keith speaking up again.

“Can you feel that?”

Keith had stopped his horse, so Shiro did the same. He looked around, but noted nothing out of the ordinary.

“What is it?”

Keith had a frown on his face, and he took a deep breath.

“The smell.”

Without a second warning, Keith took off. Shiro urged his horse to follow him, and soon they were galloping wildly. Shiro tried to ask Keith what was going on, but either his words got lost in the wind, or Keith simply didn’t care.

When their surroundings started to change; walls surging around them and the vegetation growing sparser, Shiro noticed they were entering a canyon. He was about to try to intercept Keith, when something reached his senses.  
A smell.  
And he remembered that particular smell. It was the same he had felt the day before.  
Sweet, strong, and damp with magic.

He shouldn’t be running around with no idea where he was going, just following some random scent. But now he knew what this was important.

Keith finally stopped his horse, and dismounted. Shiro could see why.

Before them, there were hundreds of roses. Each one of them blooming from a single sprout. Most of them were white or blue, and there were some violet ones here and there.  
And they knew what they were. Each one of those flowers guarded a person dead long ago.

“Keith-” Shiro called. But he ignored him. He ventured deeper into the canyon, carefully stepping around every flower.  
“Keith.” He was firmer this time. “We have to go back.”

“I can smell him.” Keith's response took him out of guard.

“Who?”

“Lance.”

Shiro closed his mouth. He could hear in Keith’s tone that he wasn’t kidding. He would never mention so lightly a name he had mourned just hours ago.

Shiro followed him around, observing his surroundings. It must have been a battlefield; so many were the flowers. They looked so beautiful now; when actually they were covering a grotesque scene. Shiro shivered and tried to send away the images his brain supplied. It made him no good to imagine past tragedies.

After a while, he saw Keith stop in front of a particular rose. It was deep blue, indistinguishable from all the others in his opinion. But Keith looked absolutely sure.

“This is him.” He said. His eyes burned like nothing Shiro had never seen. “This is Lance.”

“Are you sure?”

Keith nodded. He kneeled, and dug up something half-buried in the dirt.  
When Shiro inspected it closer, he saw a worn-out crown.

“We have to get Allura.”

Shiro could have said anything then. He could have said that the princess needed to rest, that it could wait until tomorrow. That Keith should take it easy, being recently resuscitated and all.  
But one look from those hopeful eyes, and all his excuses lost their power.

He had seen the dead rise from his grave once. It seemed likely that he would see it again soon.


	5. The aftermath

Keith was fidgeting and he knew it. He just didn’t give a fuck right now.

Shiro and him had come back as soon as they could, and in less than half an hour they had recruited Allura, a couple of medics, and some more people to carry the undead. There was apprehension hanging heavy in the air, but it didn’t concern him.

He could get Lance back.

He would do it.

And he was sure Allura wanted to bring him back too. It was her brother after all.

They set off at a brisk pace; but it was far too slow for Keith. He ached to run ahead, to reach the damn canyon, to do whatever magic mumbo jumbo was necessary to awake the dead from their slumber.

He knew his hands wouldn’t stop trembling until he had Lance safely tucked in his arms.

So he tried to hurry up their committee, with no luck. Allura simply shushed him.

He would never get used to Allura being an adult, and not a hyperactive toddler.

He tried pleading to Shiro, who was riding alongside him, but he wouldn’t budge either.

“Keith, there’s proof that the last time our people went there, there was a massacre. We must be careful.”

“But hasn’t it been fifteen goddamn years? What could we possibly encounter?!”

Shiro stayed silent. Keith pouted and let his horse follow the rest, concentrating instead in stopping his hands’ tremors.

He couldn’t focus though. They continued trembling stubbornly.

When they finally arrived, Keith wasted no time in putting his horse aside, and he carefully stepped around roses, fixated on a particular one.

He could hear Allura behind him telling him to wait, but he ignored her. There was no use in waiting; he could spot Lance’s flower from here, and Allura could surely follow him.

He reached the rose, but Allura took an eternity to get there. Or at least, that was what Keith felt.

“What now?”

“Patience, Keith.”

Fuck patience. They should be doing  _ something. _

“It’s not easy; a simple mistake and all could be lost.”

Oh.

A little patience wouldn’t be so bad. But Keith pleaded it would end sooner than later.

“We will have to wake only a handful of them at a time; it is a draining process, and we need to get them to the castle; even though they’re too weak to walk by themselves...”

Shut up Allura, shut up shut up shutup and please for the love of the gods  _ hurry up! _

Allura seemed to monologue for ages, but  _ finally  _ she finished and set to work.

Keith observed with utmost attention as she lifted her hands and closed her eyes, as he had seen the king and other alteans do multiple times. He saw the rose glowing brighter every second, until it hurt him to watch; but he refused to shut his eyes. Not when he was so close.

And because he kept watching, he saw the earth crack under the damn shiny flower, and a body being pushed upwards from the very ground.

Lance.

The glow hadn’t even completely died down but Keith was already at Lance’s side, supporting him.

He was here.

Keith couldn’t believe it.

_ Lance was alive. _

He didn’t care if he cried again. Lance deserved all the tears in the universe.

Sad and happy ones alike.

“I should get going.” He heard Allura say. He didn’t look away from Lance’s face. “If he sees me, he will probably freak out.”

Keith heard Allura’s heartbreak, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Not right now. He just nodded, and continued to take all of Lance in; the way his skin looked healthy, how his eyelids shook ever so slightly; how he was breathing slow and steady.

After having imagined his dead body once and again in the past few hours, he felt immeasurably relieved.

He didn’t know if he stayed there for minutes or hours, but it didn’t matter. He could hear people roaming behind him, and he paid them no mind. He heard violent coughs; and some part of him knew those were his friends, his people.

But he would greet them later. What mattered now was Lance.

Lance, who was beginning to stir in his sleep. Keith may or may not have squealed.

“Lance. Lance, wake up. It’s me. It’s Keith.”

Lance opened his eyes. They were blue, as always. No trace of a grey dead stare.

“Lance, we’re back. We’re alive.”

Lance’s mouth was open in surprise, and his face was wet. Were those his or Keith’s tears, he didn’t know.

“We’re okay, Lance. We’re back.”

Lance finally smiled. Keith would fight the stars themselves to protect that smile.

“Keith”

Keith laughed. He didn’t know what to do with so much happiness; so much relief. So he hugged Lance, and held him close.

“Keith!” Lance’s voice was hoarse, and ragged. But he was talking. “Keith you motherfucker, you died before I could tell you I loved you.”

Keith pulled apart, just far enough to rest his forehead against Lance’s.

“I already knew.”

“No fair. I wanted to say it too.”

Keith stared into Lance’s eyes. He could tell he was exhausted. He was, too. He knew neither of them cared.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

And who cared about anything right now. Not the tears running free in both of their faces, nor the people going around them. Not even their recent ‘dead’ status.

Who cared about any of that, when they were together again.

**Author's Note:**

> Art!
> 
> [Seed study//the deceased prince (cover art) by me ;)](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEkrBphgW8s/?igshid=1t5ac69wbw12w)


End file.
